Esopus is asked to join group opposing proposed Hudson River anchorage sites

ESOPUS, N.Y. >> The Town Board is considering whether to join a consortium of municipalities opposing 10 anchorage sites on the Hudson River for barges and commercial ships.

The political action group was discussed during a meeting Wednesday at which town Supervisor Diane McCord said the town’s Waterfront Advisory Board has provided information on working with downriver communities.

Two of the proposed anchorage sits are immediately off the Esopus shoreline. A Port Ewen site would cover about 50 acres for one vessel, a Big Rock Point site would cover about 210 acres for up to four vessels.

Other proposed anchorage sites near Ulster and Dutchess counties are:

• Kingston Flats South, covering about 280 acres for up to three vessels.

• Roseton, covering about 305 acres for up to three vessels.

• Milton, covering about 75 acres for up to two vessels.

• Marlboro, covering about 155 acres for up to three vessels.

The U.S. Coast Guard is evaluating the plan, which prompted 10,206 public comments before the input period ended in December. The plan has pitted municipalities that, with state encouragement, have spent decades working to develop waterfront revitalization plans, against the shipping industry, which contends the floating parking spots are needed for safety to prevent crews from being too tired to navigate the route from New York City to Albany.

Esopus Town Board members echoed comments of other opponents, who have said the Coast Guard has not responded to requests for public information sessions that could provide details of the plan submitted by the Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New Jersey.

“We’d like to continue pressing the Coast Guard for holding a public information session,” Councilwoman Kathie Quick said.

“We’ve offered several times that we’d be willing to [have one] in the town of Esopus since we’re going to be seriously affected by these barges,” Quick said. “

Coast Guard spokeswoman Chief Petty Officer Allyson Conroy said in December that the public comment period was only the first step in a review process that will include public meetings if the proposal moves forward.

In a Jan. 21, 2016, letter to the Coast Guard, Maritime Association of the Port of New York/New Jersey Executive Director Eric Johansson said the industry’s highest priority was securing the Kingston and Port Ewen anchorage sites.

“The Kingston hub is valuable to the commercial marine industry for its location some 50 nautical miles south of the Port of Albany,” he wrote.

The plan has drawn significant criticism from elected officials and environmental groups up and down the Hudson River, including Ulster County Executive Michael Hein, the Ulster County Legislature, Kingston Mayor Steve Noble, the Kingston Common Council and supervisors of towns on both sides of the river.